Enhancing student representation: the Liverpool John Moores University way

Abstract

Student representatives have been part of university decision-making processes for as long as there have been universities.  However, with growing emphasis on the importance of student engagement in all aspects of university life, the significance of representation is greater than ever.  This paper reflects on how representation is located in broader debate around student engagement in higher education.  It identifies many of the challenges facing representation systems and offers some possible solutions.  There is a specific focus on how student representatives operate in LJMU.  In line with this, the paper reports some of the most recent initiatives to incentivise representation activity.  Allied to this, the paper considers efforts to recognise more explicitly the important impact that student representatives have on university life.